V shines a spotlight on four of their favorite nonprofits, from a comedy troupe of abortion activists to a theologian holding community naps as a form of resistance. Then, V chats with Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr and journalist Erin Reed about their recent engagement and ongoing quest to protect trans rights.

Follow Zooey @zoandbehold on Twitter and TikTok and Erin @erininthemorn on Twitter and @ErinInTheMorning on TikTok.

Keep up with V on TikTok and Instagram at @underthedesknews. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A deluge of money is streaming into the southwest to incentivize people to save the Colorado River. The long-awaited video game “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” has gamers talking about their carbon footprint. Then, what are we to do with art we love made by people we don’t? V chats with author and critic Claire Dederer, whose latest book, Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma, explores our relationship with music, films, and other art in the wake of #MeToo. Can we, and should we, separate the art from the artist?

Note: This conversation contains mention of abuse. If you think this will be hard or harmful to listen to, you can turn off the episode after the first commercial break.

Follow Claire at @clairedederer on Instagram and Twitter.  

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Apple Books has teamed up with Lemonada Media for an audiobook club. The May pick, Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer, is a highly topical and blisteringly smart examination of whether we can separate artists from their art, asking: what are the responsibilities that come with being a fan? For more details, visit http://apple.co/lemonadabooks

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s true! The Food and Drug Administration has moved to allow gay and bisexual men to once again donate blood, and V explains exactly what’s changed. Plus, how one congressman is schooling us on what it means to outsmart AI. Then, adults rejoice! We’re talking through a more effective and less stressful parenting strategy that everyone can learn from. V chats with “whole parenting” expert Jon Fogel about relinquishing control of kids’ every move and embracing the idea that they are whole people who can make their own decisions — even if that means more bedtime boycotts. 

Follow Jon at @wholeparent on TikTok and Instagram. 

Keep up with V on TikTok and Instagram at @underthedesknews. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re dropping in your feed today to let you know about a gripping new series from Lemonada Media, BLIND PLEA. In 2017, Deven Grey, a young mother, shot and killed her abusive partner in a remote trailer in rural Shelby County, Alabama. She claimed self-defense and filed a Stand Your Ground claim. Instead of freedom, she was handed a “blind plea” – an option to take an unknown sentence in exchange for pleading guilty. As a Black woman who shot and killed a white man in Alabama, she did the only thing she could: She took the plea. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Liz Flock, BLIND PLEA asks: Who do we believe, and why? And in America, who has the right to self defense and a fair trial?

In this episode, you’ll be introduced to Deven’s story. When John Henry Vance brought his girlfriend, Deven Grey, to his family property in Calera, Alabama, Deven became the latest in a decades-long line of women to be beaten and broken down on that same land. In December 2017, after a violent evening and years of abuse, Deven shot and killed John. Then, she called 911 to turn herself in. 

The second episode of BLIND PLEA is available right now. To listen, head to https://link.chtbl.com/BlindPleaPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In just the past two days, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a huge package of anti-immigration legislation for the state, and we entered a world where COVID-19 is no longer an official public health emergency. V breaks down all the big changes these decisions will bring. Then, they talk to a champion of change, courage, and civic engagement: former Miss Tennessee Tally Bevis. Tally pulls back the curtain on what it was like to represent her state on a national stage, and all the ways she fought for progress in the process.

All images of Tally Bevis in crown or sash are from 2021-2022 as Miss Tennessee 2021. Her opinions are her own and not a reflection or a representation of the Miss America or Miss Tennessee scholarship organizations.

Follow Tally at @thenashvilleblondie on Instagram and at @tallybevis on TikTok.  

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When most people think of home economics, they imagine women baking muffins and caring for practice babies. But this week, we’re learning that the field was much more than just “stitching and stirring.” It was an empowering way for women to gain respect and recognition. Journalist and author Danielle Dreilinger joins V for a look back at the history of home economics and how it shaped American culture. We’ll hear about the personal lives of home economics women who decided to either stay at home or join the workforce. Plus, what role HBCUs and science universities like MIT played in creating this field, and how unsung economists of color helped push the movement forward. 

Follow Danielle on Twitter at @djdreilinger.

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of big media personalities getting booted from their platforms and other outlets shutting their doors, V discusses the phenomenon of news deserts and where to find good information in spite of this. Plus, they run through the pros and cons of broadcasting one’s relationship status to the world. V then sits down with MTV trailblazer and veteran journalist SuChin Pak to discuss the value of connecting with curious audiences, especially before social media. SuChin, who now co-hosts Lemonada’s podcast Add To Cart, gets honest about what it’s been like to transition from reporting hard news to chatting about shopping from the comfort of her home. (Spoiler alert: it’s only in the latter that she’s been able to, as she says, truly embrace her auntie behavior.)

Check out Add To Cart wherever you get your podcasts, and follow SuChin on Twitter at @suchinpak and on Instagram at @addtocartpod. 

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As conservative officials continue to restrict abortion access, Republican constituents are starting to put their foot down. V explains why, for many people, bans on the mifepristone pill have crossed a line and are making them question their party’s judgment. Also, V highlights new research showing that the financial health of millennials is looking… better than we thought? Then, a peek into V’s favorite sport and how it’s slated to change after a massive merger. Pro wrestler, journalist, and best-selling author Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer joins V to explain the recent WWE-UFC deal valued at over $21 billion. The two talk about inclusivity and leadership within the sports entertainment industry and how it has a fighting chance at becoming an even bigger powerhouse.

For more wrestling updates, follow Bryan at @bryanalvarez on Twitter and at @f4wonline on Instagram, and check out his work on Wrestling Observer. 

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This bonus episode was made possible by Flourish Ventures. Today, V learns hard money lessons in an easy way with “zillennial” financial expert Haley Sacks — or, as her droves of followers know her, Mrs. Dow Jones. As it turns out, it can be fun to learn about finances, especially when your teacher wields compassion, pop culture references, and financial advice especially geared toward women. Haley and V talk through which kind of bank account best matches your needs and help you learn how to avoid financial pitfalls driven by emotion. In other words, personal and personable tips to make money work for anyone.

Follow Haley at @mrsdowjones on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. And learn more about Flourish Venture’s projects and pursuits at flourishventures.com.

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justice Clarence Thomas has been living the high life and not telling a soul… except all the people who dimed on him for a new ProPublica report. V breaks down what exactly this top judge did — and didn’t do — wrong in his role as a public servant. V also talks about the lengths that researchers have to go to for people to care about the environment. Fortunately, V is then joined by investigative journalist Amy Westervelt for the ultimate climate conversation. Amy outlines the real cost of fossil fuels, plus how oil companies still manage to appear “eco-friendly” while they actively exacerbate the climate crisis. She and V then talk solutions, including the idea of bestowing rights to the earth itself.

To learn more about the climate crisis, check out Amy’s latest podcast and follow her at @amywestervelt on Twitter and Instagram.

Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.